Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NICOSIA73
2009-01-28 13:39:00
SECRET
Embassy Nicosia
Cable title:
CYPRUS: M/V MONCHEGORSK STILL LOITERING OFF
how-toVZCZCXRO6921 OO RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHNP RUEHROV DE RUEHNC #0073 0281339 ZNY SSSSS ZZH O 281339Z JAN 09 FM AMEMBASSY NICOSIA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9564 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV IMMEDIATE 6459 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO IMMEDIATE 0283 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 2128 RUFGSOC/COMSOCEUR VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEFNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1334
S E C R E T NICOSIA 000073
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR P, EUR, NEA, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC SY IR CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: M/V MONCHEGORSK STILL LOITERING OFF
LARNACA
REF: A. NICOSIA 58
B. ANKARA 3
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
S E C R E T NICOSIA 000073
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR P, EUR, NEA, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC SY IR CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: M/V MONCHEGORSK STILL LOITERING OFF
LARNACA
REF: A. NICOSIA 58
B. ANKARA 3
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (S) Ship status: U.S. Navy sources report at 1500 hrs
local (0800 hrs DC) that the M/V Monchegorsk is holding
position some 60 nautical miles southeast of Larnaca.
2. (C) Diplomatic activity since last update (Ref A):
Following EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried's telephone
call to RoC Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, RoC
Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas Pantelides telephoned the
Ambassador at 1845 hrs January 27 to inform that the
Monchegorsk was no longer steaming toward Latakeia, Syria,
but rather was loitering 60 miles from Larnaca, awaiting
further instructions.
3. (C) At 1000 hrs January 28, the Ambassador telephoned
Pantelides for an update, learning that the vessel had not
moved overnight. The parties to the incident "were speaking
through their lawyers," the RoC diplomat noted, attempting to
determine their next steps. Further, he had been informed
that the ship had been told to be prepared to proceed to port
(Note: we have transcribed Pantelides's fuzzy, passive
voiced language verbatim.) The Ambassador asked Pantelides
which port in Cyprus would receive the Monchegorsk; he
replied that it had not yet been decided.
4. (C) The Ambassador highlighted recent media reporting
that Turkey, in a similar case, had detained a suspect
Iranian shipment allegedly heading to Venezuela (Ref B).
Pantelides sounded intrigued and asked that we forward the
press pieces. Ambassador also offered to share, and
Pantelides accepted, declassified/releasable photographs of
the Monchegorsk's cargo taken during the USN's earlier
boarding. Finally, the Ambassador repeated earlier offers of
U.S. assistance in the matter and urged Pantelides to request
an independent cargo inspection conducted by Cypriot military
and/or security officials, once the vessel reaches port.
Urbancic
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR P, EUR, NEA, ISN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/27/2019
TAGS: PARM PREL MNUC SY IR CY
SUBJECT: CYPRUS: M/V MONCHEGORSK STILL LOITERING OFF
LARNACA
REF: A. NICOSIA 58
B. ANKARA 3
Classified By: Ambassador Frank C. Urbancic, Reasons 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (S) Ship status: U.S. Navy sources report at 1500 hrs
local (0800 hrs DC) that the M/V Monchegorsk is holding
position some 60 nautical miles southeast of Larnaca.
2. (C) Diplomatic activity since last update (Ref A):
Following EUR Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried's telephone
call to RoC Presidential Commissioner George Iacovou, RoC
Diplomatic Coordinator Leonidas Pantelides telephoned the
Ambassador at 1845 hrs January 27 to inform that the
Monchegorsk was no longer steaming toward Latakeia, Syria,
but rather was loitering 60 miles from Larnaca, awaiting
further instructions.
3. (C) At 1000 hrs January 28, the Ambassador telephoned
Pantelides for an update, learning that the vessel had not
moved overnight. The parties to the incident "were speaking
through their lawyers," the RoC diplomat noted, attempting to
determine their next steps. Further, he had been informed
that the ship had been told to be prepared to proceed to port
(Note: we have transcribed Pantelides's fuzzy, passive
voiced language verbatim.) The Ambassador asked Pantelides
which port in Cyprus would receive the Monchegorsk; he
replied that it had not yet been decided.
4. (C) The Ambassador highlighted recent media reporting
that Turkey, in a similar case, had detained a suspect
Iranian shipment allegedly heading to Venezuela (Ref B).
Pantelides sounded intrigued and asked that we forward the
press pieces. Ambassador also offered to share, and
Pantelides accepted, declassified/releasable photographs of
the Monchegorsk's cargo taken during the USN's earlier
boarding. Finally, the Ambassador repeated earlier offers of
U.S. assistance in the matter and urged Pantelides to request
an independent cargo inspection conducted by Cypriot military
and/or security officials, once the vessel reaches port.
Urbancic